Part-2
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
During the reign of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pursued an independent foreign policy and established diplomatic relations with various countries. Under the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan maintained diplomatic missions in several countries, including Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, and had an embassy in Iran, an authorized representative of the Kuban and Don governments, and a delegation to the Paris Peace Conference. Additionally, 16 foreign countries, such as Great Britain, Armenia, Belgium, Greece, Georgia, Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, Iran, Poland, the USA, Ukraine, Finland, France, Switzerland, and Sweden, established representations in Baku. Following the recognition of Azerbaijan’s independence by the Supreme War Council, an allied administrative organization formed by the Entente governments, Azerbaijan also established diplomatic missions to the Entente governments in Western Europe and America.
However, the plans for independent representation and diplomatic missions of the de facto recognized Republic of Azerbaijan were brought to an end by the occupation of the Soviet Bolshevik government. After the occupation on March 8, 1944, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan was abolished. This marked a significant shift, as twenty-two years after the abolition of the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the Azerbaijan SSR, a law establishing the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Socialist Republic was passed during the March 1944 session of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. This law granted the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic the authority to establish direct relations with foreign countries, negotiate treaties, and exchange diplomatic and consular missions. This transition underscored the profound geopolitical changes Azerbaijan underwent during this period, shifting from independence to integration into the Soviet Union’s centralized foreign policy apparatus.
The dissolution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs symbolized the loss of Azerbaijan’s independent voice in international relations, as it aligned more closely with Soviet policies and directives. The shift also reflected broader Soviet strategies to consolidate control over its constituent republics, emphasizing centralized decision-making and uniform foreign policy objectives across its territories. “As a result of amendments and additions to the constitution, Azerbaijan gained the right to establish relations with foreign countries and to send and recall diplomatic missions. However, these relations must adhere to the general rules established for dealing with foreign countries, as stipulated by the amendment to Article 46 of Azerbaijan’s Constitution. Since the spread of Islam in the seventh century, Azerbaijan’s historical ties with Iran and Zoroastrianism have evolved under various influences. The region has witnessed significant migrations, with many forced to leave their homelands and settle in Central and South Asia.
Since the late 1980s, Azerbaijan and Armenia, two former Soviet states, have been embroiled in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in thousands of casualties and the displacement of tens of thousands. Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, declared itself a separatist republic during the war and has since operated autonomously. More recently, another war erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan from September to November 2020, further complicating the regional dynamics.” “This time, Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, gained the upper hand and achieved complete control over large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh. Under a Russian-brokered ceasefire, Armenia withdrew its troops, and approximately 2,000 Russian peacekeepers were deployed to the region to monitor the ceasefire. The conflict resulted in more than 6,600 fatalities.
Despite several meetings between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to negotiate a peace deal for Nagorno-Karabakh, no significant agreement has been reached so far. Following its independence, Azerbaijan became a member of several international financial institutions, including the IMF, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. Azerbaijan’s banking system operates at two levels: national and commercial banks, working alongside the non-banking capitalist system. In 1992, the National Bank was established, replacing the State Bank. The National Bank of Azerbaijan acts as the central bank, responsible for issuing currency and overseeing other monetary matters. Among the largest commercial banks are Bubank International Bank and United Universal Joint Stock Bank, both of which are government-owned.”
Azerbaijan is rich in natural resources, with two-thirds of its territory known for its significant oil and natural gas reserves. Additionally, the region boasts deposits of gold, silver, iron, copper, titanium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, and various ores including antimony, spread across most parts of the Caucasus. As of early 2007, Azerbaijan possessed 4755.1 hectares of arable land and 13 hectares of timber reserves. The country also maintains a maritime trade fleet, with the Azerbaijan Maritime Trade Organization operating a total of 54 vessels. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has increasingly developed its manufacturing sector, now producing many goods that were previously imported. (End)
(The writer is a senior journalist covering various beats can be reached at news@metro-morning.com)
